


Hate the Way You Make Me Feel

by sofa_and_stuff



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Other, Rejection, Tsukishima Kei is Bad at Feelings, Yamaguchi Tadashi is a Good Friend, gender neutral reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29786460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sofa_and_stuff/pseuds/sofa_and_stuff
Summary: A confession, a rejection, and ultimately, a very stupid misunderstanding.Alternatively: Tsukishima gets flustered and doesn't react in a great way.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 29





	Hate the Way You Make Me Feel

Perhaps you had misinterpreted Tsukishima’s actions. Those stares that lasted just a second too long, the way he’d let his hand brush up to yours, smile just the slightest bit at you—maybe that meant nothing.

You were so sure, thought you could read him so well—after all, this was Tsukishima; cold, aloof, always calculating. You were so sure that there was intent behind his actions, that he _knew_ what he was doing. Knew that he had you wrapped around his finger.

But if he’d known that, you wouldn’t be here, crying into your freckled friend’s arms. Or maybe you would be. Who knows, Tsukishima was known for being mean. But he could never be this cruel. Hurt you on purpose.

It’d all started earlier in the day—you’d been following your usual routine, walking to class with Yamaguchi, greeting Tsukishima, getting the usual nod from him. Nothing out of the ordinary. Tsukishima had looked a little ticked off, sure, but he was always a bit grumpy in the mornings. You’d chalked it up to that. Nothing really unusual.

You’d made it through your lessons fairly quickly, the day passing by fast. Before you knew it, you were walking Yamaguchi and Tsukishima to practice, chatting about little things of no real importance. Yamaguchi had off-handedly mentioned hanging out after school and practice, and so the three of you (Tsukishima a bit begrudgingly) had agreed.

“This’ll be fun,” Yamaguchi grinned. “It’s been a while since just the three of us have hung out, y’know? I’ve missed hanging out with you guys.”

“Don’t be such a sap,” Tsukishima had responded, voice flat.

“Sorry Tsukki.”

You’d bit back a laugh, your friends’ dynamic entertaining as always.

“Don’t listen to him, Yama,” you’d nudged Yamaguchi with your elbow. “I’ve missed you two, too.”

You remembered Tsukishima almost smiling at that. Or maybe you’d imagined it. Right now, all Tsukishima’s little actions seemed muddled up in your mind, all misinterpretations of him.

“I’ll wait for you guys, mkay?” You’d said, sitting off to the side of the gym during their practice, knees pulled up to your chest as you scrolled through your phone.

When practice had ended, Tsukishima had changed in record time, meeting up with you outside, a little ways away from the clubroom.

He’d given you a small smile then as he approached—just the two of you, standing together, waiting for Yamaguchi. It was moments like these, so soft and short that you almost believed they didn’t exist. But there he was, smiling at you as he walked up to you, standing just-maybe-almost too close.

“That was fast, Tsukki,” you smiled at him.

He scoffed, looking back towards the clubroom.

“Sorry I don’t take ages like Yamaguchi. I’m efficient.“

“You’re saying you finish fast, then?” You looked at him, a sly grin on your face as he blanched at your joke.

“Shut up,” He’d responded, ruffling your hair as you laughed.

The two of you had fallen into a comfortable silence after that, waiting for Yamaguchi.

“Hey, Tsukki?” You said, refusing to look at him.

“Yeah?” He’d responded. At this point, he’d pulled out his phone, and he seemed to be distracted, maybe even distracted enough to ignore what you were about to say. You hadn’t even planned to, after all. Everything just felt so right, so easy in the moment, and it felt perfect, so—

“I like you.”

“Hi guys!” Yamaguchi waved as he jogged towards the both of you, a bright smile on his face. Tsukishima frowned.

“You guys ready to go?” If Yamaguchi had picked up on the strange atmosphere that had settled between you and Tsukishima, he hadn’t commented on it. Without waiting for a response, Yamaguchi had linked his arm with yours and beckoned for Tsukishima to walk next to him.

_Why did Tsukishima react like that?_ you wondered, absentmindedly toying with the hem of your jacket with your free hand as you walked beside the sweeter of your two friends. _He didn’t frown, did he?_ that must’ve been your imagination.

The three of you continued walking until getting to Yamaguchi’s house. The whole way there, you’d thought about how Tsukishima had reacted. Why hadn’t he said anything? Why had he been relatively quiet throughout the whole walk to Yamaguchi’s house?

The rest of the afternoon seemed to be pretty uneventful, albeit Tsukishima had been a bit quiet and grumpy. You studied together, tried to watch a movie, got bored, and eventually decided on just hanging out in Yamaguchi’s living room.

Hearing Yamaguchi groan as he stretched from a slouched position, he offered to get snacks. Wanting an opportunity to talk to the blonde, you had nodded at Yamaguchi, and he’d given you a small smile, getting up and leaving the room. This was your chance.

You had wanted to tread lightly, to approach the subject in a way that wouldn’t throw Tsukishima off.

“Hey, Tsukki?” you’d asked, tilting your head in his direction. He was sitting on the floor, next to you, scrolling on his phone. He hummed in response, not lifting his gaze to meet yours.

“Can we talk about earlier?”

At that, his eyes had flickered up at you.

“It’s just that,” you started, “I don’t really know how to react? You kinda… didn’t really respond?” wringing your hands nervously, you looked to Tsukishima, whose brow was creased and mouth turned downward.

“What do you want me to say?” He responded flatly, putting down his phone.

“Well, I…” stopping yourself, you took a minute to gather your thoughts. “I just want some kind of reaction. I put myself out there, y’know? The least you could do is give me some kinda response.”

Preparing yourself for rejection, seeing the concentrated, miffed expression on Tsukishima’s face, you inwardly cringed. Maybe he really _didn’t_ like you.

You could feel your face heating up as the silence prolonged between the two of you. You’d usually felt so at ease around Tsukishima, but the embarrassment of misreading him was getting to you.

Tsukishima scoffed, giving you a once over.

“God,” he said, a smirk making its way on to his face. “I hate the way you make me feel.”

“Wh… What?” So you had definitely misread the situation.

For a second, you thought Tsukishima’s face flashed in confusion, but before he’d had a chance to respond, Yamaguchi had come back.

Instantly seizing up, as if he had been able to feel the tension and confusion between the two of you, Yamaguchi had shuffled to your side.

“Ha,” he not so much laughed as made an awkward squawk. “What happened here?”

Tsukishima sighed, obviously frustrated, before checking his phone.

“I’ve gotta go, Yamaguchi.” Standing up, Tsukishima sent a glance towards you, nodding, then muttering a quick “I’ll talk to you later."

At least he’d had the decency to feel remorse and want to apologize, you’d thought. But it still stung to hear him say that.

And so here you were, only a little while later, tears slipping down your face as Yamaguchi held you.

“He really said that?” Yamaguchi asked, rubbing small circles on your back. You nodded, sniffling. It wasn’t so much the thing Tsukishima said—after all, you’d steeled yourself, and were okay with rejection. But you’d expected him to at least give you the decency of kindness. Instead, he’d smirked while telling you he hated the way you made him feel. How cruel could he be to get enjoyment out of that?

After around an hour of moping about with Yamaguchi, trying to decipher exactly what Tsukishima was trying to say, you’d decided it was time to go, even though you had just wanted to stay with your friend.

By the time you had decided to leave, it was nearly dusk. When you stepped outside of Yamaguchi’s house, the world seemed like it was drowning in a warm orange. It was comforting, you thought, especially after such a weird, emotionally draining night. You noted the quiet hum of cicadas out, too. It was nice, calming.

That calm was interrupted pretty quickly, however, when you notice a hunched over blonde sitting on the curb outside of Yamaguchi’s house. Rubbing your raw nose, sniffling a bit, but overall with a clear head, you made your way over to the blonde, silently sitting down on the curb next to him, leaving a good amount of distance between the two of you.

“Hi,” you’re the first to speak, with Tsukishima acknowledging you with an unreadable look.

“I’m almost scared to ask this again,” you start hesitantly, “but can we really talk about what happened? Without you doing… whatever it is you’re doing?”

Tsukishima is quiet for a while, mulling over your words. You can see his eyebrows scrunch up, and for a good minute he looks almost distraught.

“I’m—I’m sorry,” he says quietly at first.

You nod, a silent acceptance, urging him on.

“It’s just that, ah, shit, uh,” he’s wringing his hands, staring forward. You can’t help but notice that even in his nervous state he looks so pretty drenched in the setting sun, hair turned golden in the light, “I didn’t like how you sprung _that_ on me.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I should’ve thought about that. I’m sorry, Tsukki.”

Looking to his side to meet your gaze, he shakes his head, edging closer to you on the curb.

“No, no,” cuts you off, “I, I still didn’t react in a great way. It’s just that Ithought that maybe you liked Yamaguchi.” He rubbed the back of his neck at this, looking away from you.

“What?”

“Yeah, and you just—you surprised me. I didn’t really know how to react, so I just, y’know…”

You tilted your head at him, waiting for his explanation. He scooted closer to you, drawing in a breath.

“Uh, I guess, I don't know—You wanted to talk at Yamaguchi’s, and I didn’t really know what to say—it came out wrong and I just… I don’t know.”

“So… what does that mean?” You had to admit, you were a bit confused. But it made sense—Tsukishima didn’t always handle his emotions well, so springing a confession on him was, in retrospect, not a great idea. And his muddled explanation was just the slightest bit coherent. He'd just been flustered, if you boiled it down.

“So…” Tsukishima repeated, voice distant. Instead of saying anything more, he reached towards your hand, taking it in his, inching closer just a bit more.

“I like you, too, y’know.”

You frowned at Tsukishima, letting your hand stay limp in his. Watching his expression, which was softer than usual, but by no means smiling—yet still, nice and warm and inviting, quickly fall, was payback enough for you.

You let out a small giggle, quickly intertwining your fingers with his and giving his hand a soft squeeze.

“If you reject me again,” you said, moving closer still to him, resting your head against his shoulder, “I’ll never hold your hand again.”

You feel his chest rumble, and you let him let go of your hand only to drape his arm over your shoulder, pulling you in close.

“Yeah well, I’m not going to do that again.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!! I'm not dead hooray! Sorry for kinda going MIA. I've been having a hard time with my mental health, and writing has just been kinda hard recently. I think I'm going to ease back into putting out work, but probably not at the same rate I was before. I hope this is good, I feel a bit rusty--especially since I just haven't written for haikyuu in so long. As always, comments are appreciated and encouraged :) I hope y'all enjoyed this little fic <3


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